[cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]I take it you're not really a Matty fan then, Len......? )
Can't fault the man's attitude Oggy in any way. I just think that he is a long way past his best and I would rather see Semedo, Racon or Arter as they are the future.
I take the point somebody (? T) made on the other thread about an "old head" steadying the ship so he may still have a role. I wouldn't start with him though assuming everybody is fit.
So I take it you value his 'old' head - but don't value his 'old' knackered body.....? )
Len, I agree with you that the future has to be players like Semedo, Racon, Arter, etc but as you can't buy experience,
Holland may yet play an invaluable part this season - and maybe that's Pards' take too.
It only takes a couple of injuries/suspensions and Holland starts anyway. And so may Racon & Arter.
There was a moment when he came on and the ball came to him about knee height annd he had all the space in the world. Needless to say he just blindly lobbed it on. Got extremely sick of him doing that game after game in the prem.
I think there will be a time this season when we need him,over the past few weeks our squad has stood us in good stead.As Don Goodman commented on Saturday not many teams would have been able to bring on the calibre of player we did on Saturday.
[cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]Len, I agree with you that the future has to be players like Semedo, Racon, Arter, etc but as you can't buy experience,
Holland may yet play an invaluable part this season - and maybe that's Pards' take too.
Surely this is exactly why we re-signed both Holland and Powell.
Can one of you Matt Holland fans enlighten me as to what positive aspects Matt has in his locker? He never goes looking for the ball, often standing where he cannot receive. He rarely tackles, just stands in front of the player with the ball (and if they realise how slow he is, they run past him) He passes back to a defender or square to a full back/winger (who is often marked) rarely forwards. I have yet to see him take on and beat an opponent As a defensive midfielder he has a mere four CAREER yellow cards, no reds He hasn't scored a goal for several years He epitomises the Curb's years of suffocating the opposition but being unable to take the game to them.
All the above become more apparent when we play lowly opposition and his "class" fails to show through.
[cite]Posted By: Addickson's God[/cite]Can one of you Matt Holland fans enlighten me as to what positive aspects Matt has in his locker?
He never goes looking for the ball, often standing where he cannot receive.
He rarely tackles, just stands in front of the player with the ball (and if they realise how slow he is, they run past him)
He passes back to a defender or square to a full back/winger (who is often marked) rarely forwards.
I have yet to see him take on and beat an opponent
As a defensive midfielder he has a mere four CAREER yellow cards, no reds
He hasn't scored a goal for several years
He epitomises the Curb's years of suffocating the opposition but being unable to take the game to them.
All the above become more apparent when we play lowly opposition and his "class" fails to show through.
He wears the cleanest shorts in the league, what more do you want?
[cite]Posted By: Addickson's God[/cite]Can one of you Matt Holland fans enlighten me as to what positive aspects Matt has in his locker?
He never goes looking for the ball, often standing where he cannot receive.
He rarely tackles, just stands in front of the player with the ball (and if they realise how slow he is, they run past him)
He passes back to a defender or square to a full back/winger (who is often marked) rarely forwards.
I have yet to see him take on and beat an opponent
As a defensive midfielder he has a mere four CAREER yellow cards, no reds
He hasn't scored a goal for several years
He epitomises the Curb's years of suffocating the opposition but being unable to take the game to them.
All the above become more apparent when we play lowly opposition and his "class" fails to show through.
I think you could apply 90% of that to Makelele as well.
Now i'm not saying that Holland is as good as Claude but he has been excellent for us apart from maybe a single season where he was poor. he has scored some crucial goals and does the simple things well. You do not play hundreds of games consecutively like he did for a decent standard team (both us and Ipswich) if you are not contributing. And an international who has played (and scored i think) in a World Cup.
Great professional and a decent footballer and as Carter says, was arguably one of our top three players when he came back towards the end of last season.
[cite]Posted By: Addickson's God[/cite]Can one of you Matt Holland fans enlighten me as to what positive aspects Matt has in his locker?
He never goes looking for the ball, often standing where he cannot receive.
He rarely tackles, just stands in front of the player with the ball (and if they realise how slow he is, they run past him)
He passes back to a defender or square to a full back/winger (who is often marked) rarely forwards.
I have yet to see him take on and beat an opponent
As a defensive midfielder he has a mere four CAREER yellow cards, no reds
He hasn't scored a goal for several years
He epitomises the Curb's years of suffocating the opposition but being unable to take the game to them.
All the above become more apparent when we play lowly opposition and his "class" fails to show through.
I think you could apply 90% of that to Makelele as well.
Now i'm not saying that Holland is as good as Claude but he has been excellent for us apart from maybe a single season where he was poor. he has scored some crucial goals and does the simple things well. You do not play hundreds of games consecutively like he did for a decent standard team (both us and Ipswich) if you are not contributing. And an international who has played (and scored i think) in a World Cup.
Great professional and a decent footballer and as Carter says, was arguably one of our top three players when he came back towards the end of last season.
Deschmaps had the same things aimed at him as well..........
Makalele and Deschamps do a bit more than lay the ball off - they win it in the first place, they turn out of tight situations and invariably pass it forward to launch another attack - Holland does none of these. As for being sublime in the second half of last season, I must have missed those games - we are talking about the season we got relegated? My Ipswich mate, a season ticket holder held him most to blame for their relegation.
Its the role that Matt brings to he team. When everything is going well and we are offensively sound, you won't notice him, its only when its backs to the wall or others aren't trying you see what he brings. Like at this stage last season.
I'm not his biggest fan, and i too hope to see the young guns pushed through, but i think there will be a couple of tough games this season when we need a 7/10 Matt Holland performance.
Exactly, AFKA. What Holland does is knit the team together - constructive talking, foot on the ball, tidy short passing, always moving off the ball, often picking up the 2nd ball and bringing team mates into the game or cracking a shot from a loose ball on the edge of the area, tracking back and covering team mates when they move forward.
In short, he makes the team play as a team.
But don't expect crunching tackles, drama or the spectacular.
His managers have always appreciated his worth.
Comments
We've coped ok without him and I'd give Racon and Arter a go before bringing him back.
He is not the player he was although I'm sure he is a positive influence on the training ground.
Can't fault the man's attitude Oggy in any way. I just think that he is a long way past his best and I would rather see Semedo, Racon or Arter as they are the future.
I take the point somebody (? T) made on the other thread about an "old head" steadying the ship so he may still have a role. I wouldn't start with him though assuming everybody is fit.
Len, I agree with you that the future has to be players like Semedo, Racon, Arter, etc but as you can't buy experience,
Holland may yet play an invaluable part this season - and maybe that's Pards' take too.
It only takes a couple of injuries/suspensions and Holland starts anyway. And so may Racon & Arter.
He's not a very good footballer.
He never goes looking for the ball, often standing where he cannot receive.
He rarely tackles, just stands in front of the player with the ball (and if they realise how slow he is, they run past him)
He passes back to a defender or square to a full back/winger (who is often marked) rarely forwards.
I have yet to see him take on and beat an opponent
As a defensive midfielder he has a mere four CAREER yellow cards, no reds
He hasn't scored a goal for several years
He epitomises the Curb's years of suffocating the opposition but being unable to take the game to them.
All the above become more apparent when we play lowly opposition and his "class" fails to show through.
He wears the cleanest shorts in the league, what more do you want?
Now i'm not saying that Holland is as good as Claude but he has been excellent for us apart from maybe a single season where he was poor. he has scored some crucial goals and does the simple things well. You do not play hundreds of games consecutively like he did for a decent standard team (both us and Ipswich) if you are not contributing. And an international who has played (and scored i think) in a World Cup.
Great professional and a decent footballer and as Carter says, was arguably one of our top three players when he came back towards the end of last season.
Deschmaps had the same things aimed at him as well..........
I'm not his biggest fan, and i too hope to see the young guns pushed through, but i think there will be a couple of tough games this season when we need a 7/10 Matt Holland performance.
In short, he makes the team play as a team.
But don't expect crunching tackles, drama or the spectacular.
His managers have always appreciated his worth.